Happy Birthday, Sweetie
by Shipsinthenight13
Summary: Anthony Williams, adopted son of Amelia and Rory Williams, has a normal life in a normal place with normal friends, oblivious to the life his parents had once had. Then one day, on his nineteenth birthday, his sister shows up. Suddenly his whole life gets turned upside a by a one Mrs. River Song.
1. Chapter 1

Happy Birthday, Sweetie

Chapter One

"Anthony. Anthony, get up." My eyes flutter open to see a guy in boxers and an oversized University of Michigan t-shirt on.

"What do you want, Luke?" I ask my roommate, sleepily.

He pulls out a small kazoo and blows it in my face. "Happy Birthday, man!" he yelled and proceeded to squealing on the kazoo.

"It's a Saturday," I moan, using my pillow to cover my ears.

"Oh, get up, I told Katie to come over with some cupcakes. She'll be here in ten minutes."I sigh and get dressed, pulling on a baby blue shirt and tucking it into my white bellbottoms. As a made my bed I heard a small knock on my door. Luke opened it, now wearing blue jeans and a blazer over the UOM shirt. As he pulls open the plate of cheap wood to see a pretty blonde girl in a pink dress with purple flower designs holding a blue box with a stack of mail on top.

"Hey, Kate." I sigh as she walks in.

"Happy Birthday!" She cried cheerily.

"Eh, don't try it," Luke said rolling his eyes, "He's being especially grumpy today."

"Why?" Katie asks sincerely. She sets the blue box down on the table and picks up the mail. "I mean it's the only day you can eat cupcakes for breakfast."

"True that!" Luke says grabbing a cupcake with green frosting and white sprinkles from the box.

"Hey, I got your mail for you," Katie says holding up the stack of letters.

"Yeah, I can see that," I say sourly.

Katie rolls her eyes and pics through the letters. "Luke, your sister sent you another letter about how much she misses you. Oh look, a letter from Sam, that'll be nice fuel for my hate fire, ahh and three letters from your parents." Katie tossed Luke and I pristine white envelopes with our names all written in my Mom's neat handwriting. Katie opened hers and started to read aloud.

"'Dear Katie,'" She read, "'Say hello to Anthony for me! It's his special day, though you probably know that. I included some money for the three of you to go to the movies together. And don't say this was unnecessary, I know my son and he'll try to turn it down. But you have to show him who's boss. A lady has to be there to remind him what the right thing to do is. I really liked meeting you over Thanksgiving Break and I hope to see you again, soon. Love, Amelia Williams.' Ah, that's sweet."

"Yeah, mine says nearly the same," Luke said, holding up a few dollars. Money for a quote-unquote 'Birthday Treat'. You're Mom is the best."

I opened mine inside a found a small picture if my mom holding me, her pretty red hair pushed behind her ears and her mouth stretched into a wide smile. On the bottom was a small note written in tiny block letters- my Dad's handwriting. _Mommy and Anthony_ , it said, _1946_.

I smile forms on my own lips as a stare down at the picture taken nineteen years ago, on the day of my adoption. Included in the envelope was a letter from both my parents filled with lots of _I love yous, I miss yous_ and _Have so much fun on your special days_! I looked back at the picture. My mother had been so beautiful. She was an author living in New York with my dad, Rory, who was a nurse. She always said that she used to be a model, back when she and my dad lived in England, though I always just assumed she was kidding. I missed them. I missed them a lot more than I cared to admit. I loved their weird quirks and funny stories about-"

There was a firm knock on the door. I turned to Luke, "Did you invite anyone else?" I ask. He shook his head. Nervously I stand up and open the door.

On the other side was an older woman with frizzy hair in a big ball around her head. She wore a small tan dress with a purplish black jacket and black leggings with tall, slick boots.

"Who are you," I ask.

"Names River," She said, "Happy Birthday, Sweetie.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

 _River?_ A vague memory came to my mind of my mom telling me childrens stories about a woman named River who traveled the universe. A shook off the thought, thinking about how stupid that sounded. Realizing I had just been staring at her for a few seconds I force words out of my mouth.

"What… Who… How did you know it was my birthday?" I ask.

"I'm, ah, friends with your parents," She gave me a sly wink. Was she telling the truth? She looked a little younger then my mom, but my mom was freinds with everyone so who knew? She had a british accent, maybe my parents had known her from back home. "It's April 23rd, right?" She asked, "1964?"

"Um, yeah," Katie answered, "When else would it be?"

River ignored the question. "My parents didn't say you were coming." I told her bluntly.

"Oh, no," She said, "I'm your special birthday suprise."

"Really?" Katie stated, crossing her arms, "Because I thought that our 'birthday suprise' was a trip to the movies." She waved her letter and the money in front of River's face.

River's eyes widened as she stared at the note. "Is… Is that from Amy?" She asked, her voice softening.

"Amy?" I responded. Nobody ever called my mom Amy except for my dad. She was Amelia. Always Amelia. When my dad did call her Amy it was a slip up, something he didn't mean to do. Or when she got emotional. Or when they thought hwen they were by themselves. In private.

"She doesn't go by Amy anymore?" River asked sounding shocked and just a tad bit offended.

"No." I said cooly, "She hasn't for a long time. How long have you known my Mom?"

"A very long time." River responded, "We grew up together."

"You did?" I asked, suprised. This would explain why I had never heard of her. Neither of my parents ever talked about there past. They had moved to New York in 1938 and as far as I could tell didn't have a life before them. I had never met any Grandparents or old freinds. The more I had pried the more they stayed silent. So who was River?

"I'm guessing she didn't tell you to much about her childhood." River muttered.

I shook my head and River nodded, "I thought as much." She murmered.

"So why did you come here?" I ask. "since my mom clearly didn't send you."

River cleared her throught as if preparing what to say, "Well, I was, um, very good freinds with your mother. The best. And when she left it was devestating. And well, a year or so I caught word that she had a kid and well… I decided to pay you a visit. Say hi. Introduce myself."

Katie cleared her throught. I glanced up at her, suprised. I had nearly forgotten she and Luke were there. She opened her outh to say something when we heard it. A loud creaking, a sound of loud, thick footprints.

And then, a roar.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Katie's eyes widened. "What. Was. That," she whispered softly. I turned to River but she was already out the door.

"River?" I call, running into the hall, "River!" Other boys in pajamas and toothbrushes came out into the hall, all looking confused. I saw River at the end of the hall, a flash of curly hair before she rounded the corner. I run after her, Katie and Luke trailing behind me.

"What the hell was that?" Sam, a boy with salty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, yelled as he walked out the door. Another roar sounded.

"What's going on?" Katie yelled angrily. Nobody responded so Katie did what she always. She took charge, "Sam, get back inside. Get everyone to get back inside, whatever is going on it isn't safe- Anthony? Anthony, get back here!"

But it was to late, I had already rounded the corner, trying to follow River. Katie ran after her, Luke at her tail.

"River!" I called. At the end of this hallway I saw her running up the stairs. I stopped for a second. Floor Ten, my floor, was the highest floor of this building. The only thing above it was the attic- a crappy wooden place that was unstable and out of bonds. A few years ago they had had a problem with kids sneaking up there so they made it a rule that anyone that went up to the attic would be expelled. But as I watched River run up those last few steps I stopped worrying about school and teachers and headmasters with vicious vendettas against me and followed River up the stairs.

"Anthony!" Katie called from the other end of the hall, "Anthony, you can't go up there!" I ignored her and continued trotting up the steps. River disappeared behind the door to the attic and another roar sounded. Suddenly I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Luke running to catch up, Katie still at the other end, mouth wide open.  
"Luke!" She yelled, furious, "You could get expelled! From college!" She made a frustrated noise and stomped her foot. "If any of us get expelled," Katie murmured, "I am totally killing you." And with that she followed the two of us up the stairs.

I waited for her and Luke at the door, a nervous sweat breaking out in my underarm. "Ready?" I whispered. Luke nodded and I slowly used my left hand to push the door opened.

The room was huge, bigger than it had seemed from the outside. It was huge, musty, wooden and unfurnished. Small pieces of wood and cigerette buds littered the floor. The walls were covered in graffiti. But the most startling part of the whole scene was what was in the very center of the room. Right beside River was a creature. A ghastly pale creature that looked like a human. It was in the shape of a human, a black cloth wrapped around it's body like a jumpsuit. It's expression was blank, it's whole body missing that gleam of intelligence that most people had naturally. Not only that but it had a cut that ran all the way around it's head, cutting through it's silver eyes and fanged mouth. It had a deadly look to it, like it was about to pounce.

 _About to pounce._

I ran into River, knocking her to the side just as the vicious creature made its move. River looked taken aback. Surprised not only because I had just knocked her off her feet also because I had been there at all.

She gave me another wink and helped me up, "You have some moves, kids." She said.

"Yeah," I whispered back, "Duck." She lowered her head just as the monster took another swing. River pulled me back and we backed up into a wall. The monster cornered us, it's sharp teeth bared in heavy concentration.

"What now," I whisper to River, my brain reeling with ways to get out of this. Nothing came to mind.

"Um, well," River responded, "Ahh… in a professional form of… um… doing this is...um…"

"You have no idea do you?"

"Nope, my gun's over there." She nodded her head to a weapon a few feet away from us. "Usually I just shoot stuff."

"Great," I murmured. I closed my eyes, preparing for the worst.

Nothing comes.

I open one eye and see no flesh tearing teeth, no hungry monster but instead Katie hoisting a now bloody plank of wood over her head.

I let out a nervous laugh and see the monsters crumpled body at her feet.

"Huh? Huh! I hit it!" She yelled gleefully, "I actually hit it!" She paused, "Follow up question; what is _it_?"

"A… um… a shell. It's a shell," River responded, not batting an eyelash.

Katie kicked it with her foot. "Is it… Dead?" She asked.

"No, just knocked out," River responded.

"Is this… is this what you _do_?" Katie whispered. River stepped over the Shell's body and back into the center of the room, me trotting behind her.

"No, well, yes, um. The… the shell followed me here. It must've." River responded, being even more vague than usual.

"Hey, Katie?" Luke asked from the other side of the room.

"Not know, Luke," She responded, "What exactly is a shell?"

"Yeah," I said, "Is it a monster? Like a goblin?"

"A goblin?" River said laughing, "No goblins are completely different."

"Katie!" Luke said again. Katie continued to ignore him.

"So… so goblins are real?" Katie said, astounded, "And fairies? And dragons!"

"Uh, no. Never heard of any fairies. Or dragons. Though I did meet a Morgish Lynx, and that was pretty close."

"KATIE!" Luke yelled.

"Urgh, what is it!" She yelled back, clearly ticked off. Then her eyes widened. "Oh my god!" She cried. I turned my head and saw it too.

Crawling up next to Luke was the shell, it's head bloodied from the plank to the head, a murderous gleam produced in it's eyes. Luke glared at it, seemingly paralyzed by fear.

"Luke," River said slowly, "Step toward me." Luke stayed frozen, staring at the shell slowly inching it's way toward him. River grabbed her gun and aimed at the Shell.

Before she could fire, the Shell grabbed onto Luke's leg and with vanished.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"LUKE!" Katie screamed. She ran to where he had been standing just moments ago, a frantic look in her eyes. She dropped to her knees, feeling around on floor, "No, no, no," She murmured, tears welling in her pupils. Then she turned to River, eyes murderous, "Bring him back," She yelled, "BRING HIM BACK!"

"I… I can't," River whispered, "He's gone. I don't know where the shell took him."

Katie charged at River, screaming through the tears. "Liar! You're a liar and this is all you're fault! You killed him," River easily side stepped Katie and pushed her to the ground in one swift motion. Katie threw her head back, the last wet drops coming out from under her eyelids, her voice a low whisper. "You killed Luke."

"Luke's still alive," I said sternly, glaring at River, "Right?"

River opened her mouth, closed it and then opened it again. "I… I don't know. It's quite possible. The Shell's have been hunting me for a week or so know. I didn't think they would follow me here. But I… I how now the Shells how they work. And well, it's very likely that… that they are keeping him alive as bait."

"As bait?" Katie squealed, "AS bait! AS BAIT," She moaned it over and over again, like a chant, "As bait, as bait, as bait," then she seemed to perk up, "As bait. as bait where?"

River looked up, biting her lip, "I'm not sure."

Katie gave her a tortured look, "Of course. Just my luck. I find a magical person who fights goblins and other evil things and then they don't even know where the evil people are!"

"I am not magical. And I don't fight goblins!" River said, a ring of anger in her voice, "Well except for that one time in the Bahamas. Oh, but the Bahamas were interesting. And… I have an idea of where they might me."

Katie looked up at River, suddenly hopeful, "Where she asked.

I cut in before she could answer, "Hold on." I said my head whipping between the two of them, "Kate, we can't just go off with some random stranger." I glare at River, "Especially someone who deals with stuff that… _couldn't_ exist."

"Anthony, they have Luke!" Katie said, looking at me with a mix of astonishment and disgust, "We have to." She glanced toward River, "No matter _who_ we have to travel with."

I bit my lip, looking between the two of them, "You said you were friends with my parents?"

River nodded.

"And did they know about all this _stuff_?" I ask, not really wanting to know the answer.

"Yes, you're parents and I, um, traveled together. We fought stuff like… like the Shells. They were, ah, quite good at what they did."

"And I'm guessing they decided to leave the _business_ in 1938? When they came to Manhattan?" River nodded again. "Alright." I said.

"Alright?" Katie asked, looking a little shocked.

"Alright!" I said, cracking a little smile.

"Alright," She whispered, smiling and covering her mouth.

"Alright!" I turn to River, "Where are the shells?"

She gives us a mischievous look and raises one eyebrow, "Good old New York City."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The train was cold, colder than I had expected. Katie rubbed her arms and fidgeted in her chair.

"You know," She whispered, "I've never been on a train before and I really thought since we were traveling with River…" She nodded her head across the aisle to where River was staring down at a blue book in her hands. "I don't know, maybe there would be some sort of magical transportation."

"Magical transportation?" I asked, "You've got to be kidding me."

She sighed and rolled her eyes, pulling out a small piece of paper from her brown coat's pocket. It was a picture. A happy picture taken over Thanksgiving in my parents apartment. My Mom and Dad were off to the left, smiling happily, my Mom's hand resting happily on my shoulder. Katie stood next to me, Her head resting on my shoulder, her right arm wrapped around Luke's waist, her smile vibrant.

I turn my head away from the photo, not wanting to look. River looked engaged in her story, an uncomfortable expression masked on her face as if she was reading something unpleasant. The man next to her turned in his sleep, forcing River to move uncomfortably and give the man an irritated death glare.

"Where are we?" I asked her, trying to make conversation.

She glanced out the window taking a second to register the terrain before uttering the words, "Ohio. Twenty more minutes and we'll be in Pennsylvania." And returned back to her book.

"Great." I mutter. I glanced outside the blurry window, staring blankly at the window. It was cold and drizzly, just like any other day. But it wasn't like any other day. Because now monsters were real. Monsters were real. Helluva a day to have it happen on. I continued to stare at the window. _What else was real?_ There was so much I didn't know. Who was River? What was going on? Why did the Shells need to kidnap Luke? But the big question was what exactly was real? Santa Claus? Magic? Time traveling? Robin Hood? My head hurt from all the questions.

I glanced at River. She knew the answers. She knew all the answers. But I couldn't just ask her. There was a sort of status I had to maintain when I was around River. A status everyone had to maintain around her. You couldn't just ask River a question. You could see it in the way she walked, in the pride in the voice. She was above everyone. She wasn't vain, she just was smarter. She had a knowledge of the world most others ceased to comprehend. This made her better. And she wasn't gonna go around answering everyone's questions unless it was completely necessary. Everyone felt this way about someone. There is always that one person that you have to impress, or seem as least dumb as possible. I would hate to meet whoever made River feel that way.

Suddenly the train jolted to a stop. "What was that?" Katie squeaked, shoving the picture into her jacket.

"Maybe they just need to do some repairs." I mumble.

She glanced at River, "When is it ever just some repairs?"

And that's when gravity gave out and the train did a backflip.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Screams erupted from all around us. I small pain spiked in my temple. Unhappily I touched my hand to the pain, my fingers pulling away wet and sticky. Katie's eyes widened, the hand flying to her own cheek, which was now streaked with blood. The train had turned on it's side three times. The first had turned the window next to River into the floor, the second had made the ceiling the bottom and we had finally come to a stop when the Katie's window became the ground.

The car had been mostly empty, only six other people had resided in the thirty person car. A young woman screamed shrilly, "What the _hell_ was that."

"Here," I said, swinging down from my seat and unbuckling the seat belt that had trapped her.

"Thanks," She said breathlessly, holding out her hand. "I'm Bella."

"Anthony." I said shaking it. Bella was a short girl with curly brown hair and round green eyes. She wore a flowery dress with a brown belt and a white sleeveless jacket. She was beautiful, in an urban sort of way. Her twenty something year old appearance screaming confidence.

I looked around. River had hoisted herself out of her chair and with the help of Katie was getting the other five people out of a window River had broken.

"Up, up, up," Katie said to a rather plump man of nearly fifty. He groaned and pulled as it took the combined effort of both River, Katie and another man I didn't know to push him out the broken window hole.

"Here," I said after they had gotten him out, "Get her to safety."

"Don't worry," Bella winked, "I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."

"Oh, I like her," River said, "She's feisty."

"Yeah," Katie said, "She's great."

I pushed Bella out of the whole and then turned to Katie, "It sounds like someone's jealous."

"Am not," Katie scoffed angrily.

"Are too," I said playing into the whole little kid act.

"Oh grow up," River mummered.

Katie's cheeks turned red and she faced away from me, "So what was that?"

"I'm not sure." River said, shaking her head.

"You're not?" Katie said, "Well that's just brilliant!"

"Well it wasn't the Shells, that's for sure."

"Well than do you have any idea who could have done that."

"Done what?" Bella asked. I whipped around to see her pretty face on top of us, peeking through the window, "Flip the train?" River, Katie and I exchanged looks, "Shouldn't that be a what rather than a who?"

"Ah, right." I said, "Um… Bella? What are you doing up there?"

"Waiting for you," She said smiling, "What did you think?"

I shrugged and pulled myself up to the window, feeling the air of the cold night. I jump down to where the others were standing. Twenty or so more people from neighboring train cars stood around the perimeter having also found a way out of the cursed train. But something was wrong.

I could see it in their expressions, the way they gawked at the train. Some even pointed. A few look terrified but others looked awestruck.

"What's going on?" Katie asked, as she came up beside me.

"I don't know," I responded. I came to stand next to Bella and the others from my car. "What is it?"I asked.

Instead of answering, Bella just pointed to the left of our car.

On the side of the train was a smoking claw print, permanently burned into the side of the car.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"What the hell is that?" Bella asked, startled, "It looks like… a footprint."

I glanced at River. She nodded her head a to a spot a few feet away and Katie and I followed, leaving Bella in the dust.

"What could have made that," I asked River. She didn't respond. I glared at the footprint. It was huge, covering an entire car and powerful enough to knock over the entire train. It was red and singed, like something branded into the car. Wisps of smoke trailed around it, showing how recent it was. Whatever could have done that clearly wasn't good.

Suddenly a huge shape came flying into the distance. _Flying_. It looked like a snake. A giant snake with golden wings and enormous claws. A scream escaped the lips if the plump man to our right and a young lady holding a small child.

"River, you have to answer us!" Katie yelled angrily, "What is that!?" Her voice cracked with anger and River pursed her lips.

"Yera. It's a Yera." She responded.

"Do… Do Yeras usually work with the Shells?" Katie asked, trying to suck all the possible information out of River that she could.

"No," River responded, "They've never met. There is only one thing that draws the two species together."

"What," I asked, tired of River being so vague.

"They both have personal vendettas against me."

"So… The Shells and The Yeras decided to team up together to… what? Take you down?" I responded.

"No, no," River said, "It's more than that. There's something more at play. But it doesn't matter, not now. Right now, we need to concentrate on getting rid of the Yera."

"And how do you suggest we do that? Do they have some sort of weakness?" Bella asked. _Bella asked_. Bella! Bella?

"Bella?"

"How do we get rid of it?" She asked again, her voice steady, "I mean, because _you_ clearly know what it is. A Yera, right?" She glanced at our shocked faces, "Oh please, if you want to keep something secret don't talk about it so loudly. So what is a Yera, anyway, a dragon?"

We all started at her dumbstruck until River spoke, "No." Her voice grew louder, "No, of course not. Why do I have to keep telling people that this isn't the _Lord of the Rings_?"

"So then what is it?" Katie said, seemingly taking Bella's side.

"Like I said, a Yera." River responded simply.

"Well what's a Yera?" Bella asked, growing tired of River's vagueness.

"A Yera… a Yera is a thing of beauty. They were so full of grandeur, of elegance of grace. Yeras, well, they mate for life. From the moment they are born the first thing they want is there mate. It's the first thought the ever think, the name and face of their mate. They live for nearly two thousand years, every moment spent with the one they truly love. The only thing that could turn them harsh, make them into a monster is the death of this mate. Once their mate is dead Yeras dedicate their entire lives to one purpose. Murdering their mate's killers."

She glanced up at the Yera that was currently circling the train. I jumped back as I saw a second one trailing behind it. "Can't it just… I don't know? _Re-_ mate?"

"No, no they can't. They get one mate. One chance. See, they come from this planet, Gyren. Now on one occasion me and a, ah, friend, came to Gyren. Big mistake. He, well he warned me against it. He told me not to, but well, I felt threatened. I killed two Yeras." River glared up at the two beasts flying in the sky. She pointed up at the monstrous creatures, "Their mates."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Katie gave a deep sigh, "Well, we are _totally_ screwed."

Bella ignored Katie's comment, her eyes steel. "How do we kill it?" I gaped up at her. She was much more ruthless than I had thought.

"Kill it?" River asked, surprised not at the idea but at who had said it.

"Yes, kill it. You've done it before," Bella crossed her arms angrily, "So do it again."

"Killing a Yera is… complicated." River responded.

"Oh come on," Bella rolled her eyes, "You did it before without even knowing what a Yera was."

River shook her head, "That was different. They were vulnerable, unprepared, unaware. This time they're trained- and expecting us."

"There still has to be _some_ way of… getting rid of them." Katie offered, looking not to keen on the idea but ready for an action.

"How did they even know to come here?" I asked suddenly, "Are they… I don't know… working with the Shells?"

"Yeah, probably," River murmured, "Anyway, the first time I killed it I used a knife. A special knife. Sonic."

"Like the restaurant?" Katie asked.

"Sort of. The knife worked easy because it was so… so unexpected." River pulled out a silver blade from a small satchel she had around her chest, "This is the only thing I know that can kill it. And there is only one spot it will work."

"Well, that's convenient." Katie muttered.

"The spot right in between the wings," River said mimicking the stabbing motion with her blade, "But they are trained and they will buck you off if you try to ride it. And possibly kill you."

"Fine." I said. "We need to create a diversion. Something that can get River close enough to the Yera. Something that can draw it in close."

"Any ideas?"Bella asked, arms folded.

"Well," Katie started, "I'm not really sure about Yeras, but well, I read this book. I while ago. Called _The Adventures of Carla and Danny_. And, well, in the books, there are these creatures. Cybers. And well, they couldn't stand water. They couldn't stand water touching their skin. It drove them mad. Do Yeras have anything, um, like that?"

"They… They do!" River cried, happily, "I nearly forgot! Afterword me and my colleague, well, we hung around for a little while. And I remember… fire! They hated it. Despised it! I'm not sure if it was the smoke or the light that ticked them off… but it worked! Well, not for us at the time. We nearly got our heads bitten off but-"

"Fire!" Katie smiled, "Fire's is easy! We can make a fire, right Anthony!"

I opened my mouth to speak but Bella beat me to it, "OKAY EVERYONE, LISTEN UP!" She yelled to the dwindling masses. "WE NEED FIRE!"

"Fire?" A young woman in a red dress called.

"YES, FIRE!" Bella responded, "I KNOW IT SOUNDS MAD BUT I THINK YOU CAN LEARN TO ADAPT CONSIDERING HOW THERE IS A DRAGON IN THE SKY."

"It's not a Dragon," River muttered.

"WE NEED FIRE." Bella continued, "IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WILL SCARE IT AWAY," She looked up at the now-even-quieter masses and utter three single words.

"So get cracking."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

The Yera roared above our heads as we gathered debris from the broken train to build the fire. A man in a thick tan trench coat named Daniel bundles sticks together to make torches and the woman in the red dress whose name was Clarissa held a match box and was kindling tiny flames.

"God, why can't lighters have been invented by now?" River asked.

"Excuse me?" Clarissa asked, looking up from her work a, confused expression on her face.

"Nothing," River responded, "Keep up the good job." Clarissa shrugged and returned to her work. Marly, the lady with the young child, Felicity, hugged the girl and stared at the beast in the sky.

"What does it want?" Felicity whispered before Marly shushed her.

"To eat us alive!" Hank, the plump man, called with aggravation, "What else could something like that want?"

I glanced at River and then turned back to the bundle of sticks in my hands. Unhappily I trotted over to Daniel and hand him the twigs.

"Thanks," He said breathlessly.

"Need help?" I asked him. Daniel shook his head and returned back to the wood. I shrugged and strolled over to Katie, Bella and River. "What _does_ it want," I asked River quietly.

"Me." She whispered back. "It wants me."

I stare into her eyes. Even if we had only known eachother for a day I had quickly learned how to read River. It only took me a second to know the truth, "You're lying."

River gave me a hard glare. Her expression read _do you want to know?_ I nodded, having dealt with so much crazy today nothing could surprise me. River sighed and whispered the word, "Us."

"Us as in all four of us? Or all three of us? Or all twenty of us?" Katie asked nervously.

"Us as in Anthony and I." She responded.

"Why us?" I asked, "Why not Katie? She was with us to."

"It… It's complicated. It might have to do with your… um, parents."

"So why haven't they attacked?" Bella asked.

"They're saying that they will give us ten more minutes. Ten more minutes to think about coming peacefully. To come without resistance. In ten minutes if we don't come they will take us. And slaughter anyone who gets in there way."

"You speak Yera?" Katie asked.

"I speak everything." River responded.

"Of course you do," I said shaking my head.

"So… ten minutes?" Bella said, "Let's make them count."

I nod and stalked off to the left, Katie at my side. "So," She started. I glanced up at her. She closed her mouth, as if she couldn't think of anything good to say.

"We're gonna get out of this," I tell her, "And then we're gonna find Luke. And go back to UOM and just have a normal life. She rested her head in the crook of my neck.

"I know," She whispered quietly, "Luke'll be okay. We all will." I nod and give her a quick kiss on her head. I take a second to breathe in the smell of her coconut shampoo, tasting a piece of her strawberry blonde hair. Kissing Katie was like kissing a sister. Not that I had a sister or anything, but that's what I imagined it would feel like. She hugged me tightly and gave a tight squeeze.

"Everything will be great," I whisper quietly, "We are gonna get through this." She didn't respond and so I sat down on the piece of debris and she flopped down with me. We sat there for a few minutes in silence, just taking in the impossible situation.

Finally Katie looked down at the shiny silver watch that was perched on her wrist. She looked up at me, the fear growing in her eyes.

"It's go time."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

The wind rushed in my face, it's speed picking up with every passing second.

"GET OVER HERE YOU BIG FAT OAF! COME AND GET ME!" River screamed at the top of her lungs, angrily waving her hands in the air, knife in hand. The train's former passengers stood around her in a ring, each one clutching a burning torch. Katie stood at my left, Bella at my right. They all looked nervous. The blue Yera swooped in, it's gruesome claws outstretched. The black one flew perched up above it, it's golden eyes glowing in the dark sky.

"Get over here, ya nasty beast!" Hank yelled at the Blue Yera flying overhead. The Yera screeched and tried to grab onto River. _Don't let whoever attacks first grab me,_ I remembered River's words, _Bring him down and wait for the second one to attack. We wouldn't accomplish anything if they're both still kicking_.

The Blue Yera lunged, talons outstretched. River grabbed the torch of the middle aged woman, Ronda, on impulse. She hefted it up, scorching the under belly of the screaming Yera.

"COME AND GET ME!" River screeched, "UNLESS YOU CAN'T TAKE THE HEAT!" The Yera lunged for the second time, even more aggravated than before. She lifted Ronda's torch but the Yera thwacked it out of her hand, it's silver eyes glowing with hatred. "Oh no." River whispered.

The Yera roared something loudly at River, sounding more like a sentence than a screech of terror. "WELL YOU KNOW WHAT?" River yelled back, "THAT'S TOO BAD! AND, IF HE WERE HERE HE WOULD TELL YOU TO STICK IT UP YOU'RE UGLY, FAT A-"

The Blue Yera grabbed hold on River and lifted her up toward the sky. "River!" Katie yelled.

"It's okay!" River screamed back, "Get the black one! It's here for you!"

I glanced at Bella, "Run!" She yelled, "I'll cover you!" But I didn't run. I stayed exactly where I was. I couldn't let some dumb Yera take me down. This wasn't gonna be the end. So instead, I pull a River.

"HEY YA DUMB YERA!" I scream, "COME AND GET ME!"

"Anthony!" Katie yelled, "What are you _doing_?"

"Follow my lead," I said, winking. I glared up at the sky, looking at the Blue Yera fighting River, she know on his back, trying to use the knife but also trying to stay aboard the rickety dragon.

I wave the torch in the air enthusiastically. The Black Yera ducks down trying to get close to me. It's smarter than the other one, I can see that already. The Blue Yera was the henchman, the brawn while the Black Yera was the brains, the one who really knew what was going on.

Suddenly, Katie lunged her torch at the Black Yera, an angry look in her eyes.

"What the hell did you do that for?" I asked her. She shrugged and then pointed at the Yera. It screamed as the flame came in contact with it's skin.

Then, out of nowhere a shriek pierced the air. I turned to see River falling out of the sky, knife in hand.

"RIVER!" I yell at the top of lungs. I ran toward her body plummeting toward the earth. I look at her now bloody body laying on the reddened grass.

And then I grab the knife.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

"GET OVER HER YOU FILTHY LITTLE-" The Yera roared and grabbed me in it's monstrous claw. I squirmed and shifted but was unable to break its grip on my torso. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Katie, Daniel, Clarissa, Marley, Hank, Felicity, Bella and the rest of the passengers using their torches to ward off the Black Yera. Despite my current predicament, the scene called a smile to my lips. It seemed so ridiculous, so impossible, to see these ordinary people do something so extravagant and irregular.

Strangely enough I had the sudden urge to laugh out loud.

The Yera screeched loudly, it's call piercing my ears. Suddenly I felt a burst of adrenaline, like seeing the passengers fighting back made me stronger, tougher. I would do this for River, I would have to do this for River.

I couldn't even bring myself to look down at the body on the red grass. It seemed surreal. The brave, magical woman who I had met just this morning was gone. _Maybe she survived_ , I thought, _Maybe she has some sort of magic, or technology, that let her survive._

 _Oh shut up, stupid_ , the other side of my brain yelled, _She's dead and you know it. There is no way River could have survived that fall, no matter who she is. Was._ I shake away all thought a River or death or anything besides my current situation. I needed to use the adrenaline to my advantage. I was smart, ahead in all my classes. I was smart enough to get out of this. I knew it.

I needed to take note of my surroundings. The Yera's claw was big, but not big enough to fully grasp around my waste. I could stab it, but he'd probably drop we and I'd die. Maybe if I punched it…

My hand is flying before the thought fully gets out of my head. I kick, I punch, I thrash. Irritated, the Yera tightens it's grip on me but I don't give up. After a few seconds it let it's grip loosen, seeming more annoyed than pissed off. But not enough for me to get free.

Then I get a better idea.

I stopped thrashing and stood still. Perfectly still. The Yera's grip stayed the same. Finally after a few more seconds of it's quiet flying I went full on tornado. My hands were flying. Body shifting, feet kicking. The Yera's grip immediately tightened, so hard that I could hardly breathe. _This is it_ I thought, gripping the knife steadily in my hand. Taking a deep breathe I plunge it into the Yera's scaly skin.

A scream erupted from its fanged lips. It flinched in pain. Just enough so I could wiggle my way out of it's grasp and grab onto it's finger. I pulled myself up and clinged onto it's enormous wrist. Grunting, I pulled myself up higher and hoisted myself onto the Yera's back.

Oh, god it was high. This was higher than I had ever been in my entire life. I gulped in a huge breath but found that the air was thinning. What was the tip people always said about heights? Right, don't look down. I concentrated on doing so, running my hand over the Yera's slick spikes. I take a big breath in and then exhale. It didn't work.

So I repeat it. Over and over and over again. In, out. In, out. In, out. In, ou-

The Yera lunged. I screamed at the top of my lungs as we suddenly lunged toward the Earth. Half of my brain thought the world was moving too fast, not giving me enough time to think. The other half went into slow motion, thinking what to do, what to do. All together my brain had one clear thought. Panic.

And all the panic resided in brain to form one clear action. And with all the adrenaline I did what my brain told me to. I plunged the knife into the Yera's back.

And together we fell toward the Earth.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Screaming. Falling. And more screaming. The Earth was a constant combination of the two as time stretched into eternity. _Will I die here?_ The thought played it's way into my mind, my new constant companion. Death. I had never given it much thought to it. I was nineteen years old, I had my whole life ahead of me. Years of family and jobs and just regular boring stuff. Not death before college. Never death before college. I was just a normal kid. I had never done anything exceptional, anything to make the papers. I was just Anthony Brian Williams. The kid from New York with good grades and two parents and a dog named Vincent and just regular stuff! But that's was Yesterday. Now it was Today. And if I knew one thing about Today is that I was _not_ gonna die here.

"Alright," I whispered between clenched teeth, "I'm gonna make it to tomorrow." Clenching my eyes shut I reached toward the Yera and wrapped my arms around it's neck. The ground came up suddenly, a spray of golden Yera's blood quick to follow.

 _Golden. Why did it have to be golden_. "ANTHONY," A scream yelled against the roaring wind, "Oh my god, Anthony! Anthony, are you okay?!"

"I'm… I'm alright," I grunted, "Who… Who's there?"

"Oh my goodness, Anthony, it's me Katie."

"Katie?" I asked, "I… I can't really see. Everything is sort of… dizzy."

"Oh god, we… we need to get you to an… um… hospital." She responded.

"Hospital, Kates?" I said laughing, "I think we're a little past hospital."

"Can you, ah, get off the Dragon?"

"It's a Yera, Katie," I laughed, "And, um, yeah, it's clearing up. The… The Yera mostly stopped my fall."

"Oh, Anthony, come on." She grabbed my arm and helped me off of the Yera's lifeless body.

"Wait, wait," I called as the world started spinning, "River. What happened to River?"

Katie bit her lip, "Oh, Anthony… I'm… I'm so sorry. But, well, we saw the body and there is no way anyone can recover." She looked down at her feet, "Anthony, River's gone."

"No," I whispered quietly, "No."

"I'm sorry," A new voice that belonged to Bella said sternly, "But if it's any consolation, we, ah, well I think we got the Black Yera."

"How perfect," I sneered in response, "A life for a life."

Bella shook her head, "Anthony…"

"So now what?" Daniel asked, trotting up from behind Bella.

"Now what?" I choked, " _Now what?_ "

"Yes, now what!" Hank responded, "We just killed two bloody dragons so I think we deserve a now what."

I shook my head in disbelief, taking a second to glance around the strange countryside. There were rolling hills and evergreen trees, a tipped over train and one dead body of an old friend. A body that had been right… there.

"Where's the body?" I asked.

"What are you talking about?" Marley responded.

"River. Where's her body."

Katie's hand came up as if in a trance, and pointed toward a silhouette on the horizon. "There."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

The body had a faint gold aura to it, though it's shape was definitely River's. Her frizzy hair grew colored as she came closer and a grim expression haunted her face.

"River?" I whispered, awestruck. Her clothes were bloody and red, though skin remained flawless. Even her hair looked more polished than it had been before, a newly washed shine residing in the little strands. Her face was clean. Cleaner than it was before and not a speck of blood covering it, even though there was blood splattering her neckline. It… It wasn't human.

Hank grabbed Bella's shoulders and hid behind her, seemingly afraid of the zombie that stood in front of us. "What are you," he murmured angrily, trying to fit his bulging body behind Bella's bijou frame.

River stayed silent, her lips pierced in fierce concentration. "River," Katie said slowly, "What… um… happened?" River glanced at her feet, for the first time since I met her rendered speechless. "River?" Katie whispered, "Did… Did you die?"

"No." She said simply, "No, the fall didn't kill me."

"Then River." Katie paused, "What what happened?"

"It doesn't matter," She said wistfully, "The point is that the Yera's are dead, right?"

I glanced down at the blood stained knife in my hand, it sharp edge cutting into my hand. Sighing, I hand it back to her, steadily placing its iron handle in her perfect palm.

"You killed both of them?" She asked, her voice unwavering.

"Yeah," Bella responded, "Anthony got the Blue one and the rest of us burned the other one to death."

I expected River to seem impressed, happy with my success but instead she gave us a look of terror mixed with annoyance. "You can't kill a yera with fire," She said angrily, "Only harm them."

Daniel looked up frightened, "So the other one is still alive?" As if on cue a monstrous roar pierced the air, melting away the feeling of peace and accomplishment.

River looked at the knife in her hand and, as if knowing she had to be the one to kill it. But, before she could run toward the angry scream the Yera leaped up from it's position on the ground and took for the sky.

"Is it leaving?" Marley asked.

"No," Bella responded, "I think it's-"

She didn't have to finish because before we knew what the Yera was doing. It halted, nearly two hundred feet above our heads, glaring down at us puny little humans with so much hate, so much need for revenge. And with that final thought in its mind, it dive bombed us.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

The Yera plunged toward the ground, it's nose pointed at the dark green earth.

"RUN!" Clarissa screamed, "Everybody run!" Our small group of rag-tag passengers scattered in separate directions. Marley grabbed Felicity's arm and ran with her into the thick nearby underbrush. Meanwhile Daniel scurried off to the right, running fast and far for such a small amount of time. Hank turned to the left, pulling Katie with him. River and I turned the other way, hurriedly avoiding the oncoming beast. The few other passengers that stood near by ran as well, not once looking back at the monster in the sky.

Only two people remained in our once-circle. The first of the two was strong Bella, now seemingly paralyzed with an unmoving fear. The second was a young girl, whose name I did not know. She, like Bella, stayed put, eyes shining with a terror and tears. The girl was a little thing, no older than thirteen with curly red hair and a large brown coat that looked like it didn't belong to her. She had entered the train alone,without any family or friends just her and the small tan backpack that rested at her side.

"BELLA!" I screamed loudly, wanting to call out to the girl too but still not knowing her name. "BELLA, GRAB HER AND RUN!" But Bella didn't move. Instead she stayed perfectly still, head pointed upwards toward the Yera in the sky. I tried to run to her, to save her from her destruction but River held me back.

"NO," I screamed, my voice cracking, caked with fear and sadness. The Yera lunged, it's claw outstretched. I watched in horror as it reached toward the two girls. Then a realization came to mind. It could only take one of them.

But which one? Surveying the scene I could already tell who. It would be Bella. It would have to be Bella. She was the cause for the terrible burn marks upon the Yera's disgusting skin. He would take her for her sins. And he would destroy her.

But as I looked up, a moment too soon, I realized I was wrong. For the Yera had barely skidded past Bella and thrusted his hand around the nameless girl. To alarmed to scream I broke out of River's firm grasp, pickpocketed the knife from her pocket and ran toward the no-name girl.

But I was to late, for as I finally reached them, knife at the ready, the Yera snapped her neck. A whale escaped from my mouth as I to late plunged the knife into the burned scales of the terrible monster. But was the Yera a monster? Or was it just avenging the death of his friend and mate? Was it all just a life for a life? But then why kill the no-name girl? Why not me or River or Bella? Or even Hank and Daniel and Katie for that matter. The no-name girl was innocent. So why did she have to be the only casualty?

I pushed all thoughts of the Yera behind and slumped down next to the no-name girl's lifeless body. I felt a single tear slip down my face and watched as it landed on her bloody neck.

"I didn't even know her name," I whispered quietly, and then again louder. "I didn't even bloody know her name!"

Bella, who seemed to finally be out of her trance, leaned down and put her warm, tender hand on my shoulder. Gingerly she picked up the girl's bag that was still around her shoulder. She pulled it close to her eyes and carefully said, "Darla Jones. The tag says Darla Jones."

The others slowly started walking toward the two of us, going cautiously slow. Finally, Hank worked up the courage to speak. "Is she dead," he asked.

I nodded carefully. Hank sighs and whispered, "Now… Now what?"

"Now," Bella answered, "Anthony and I are going to make sure that the Yera that did this to Darla is dead. For good."

I nodded again and accepted her hand as she pulled me up and walked me away from the gang of mourning passengers. We headed a few yards away to the massive Yera corpse.

"How are we even supposed to know if it's dead?" She asked, trying to soften the damper mood.

I managed a shrug and started to poke at it with the knife's handle.

"What do you think the police are gonna make of this?" Bella whispered lightly, "I mean, they'll find the corpses of two dragons and a thirteen-year-old girl, a tipped over train and a buttload of missing passengers. How will they spin that?"

Again I shrugged, "Maybe they'll make Darla out to be some sort of hero." I glanced back at her body, "She deserves it."

Bella nodded and suddenly grabbed my hand, rubbing at the dried blood that was a mix of Yera and human. "I'm sorry," She said, "But-" She froze, eyes widening. I turned to look at what she had seen.

The Yera's eye had opened.

Hastily she let go of my hand and stared. Unknowingly I started to back up. Slowly, with lots of effort, the nearly dead beast lifted its claw and barely grazed Bella's arm. Just at it came in contact with her beautiful skin it disappeared.

And it had taken Bella with it.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

The Greyhound was loud, full of shouting high schoolers shouting at the top of their lungs. Again, I hit my head against the window, praying for some quiet. I needed to mourn, I needed to grieve. Bella was gone. With the Yera. The first half of the ride had been full of Katie's persistent voice reassuring me that Bella was alive and with Luke, though I wasn't so sure. The Yera wasn't so mercyful. We had killed it's friend, it's mate, burned it alive. He would kill Bella. He already had Luke as bait. He wouldn't need her as well. Her death would be one of revenge.

And it wasn't only Bella, whose death I wouldn't even be present for, it was also Darla. Darla, a sweet thirteen year old whose only mistake was boarding a train. She was dead because of me. Because I had ran with River instead of making sure Bella and Darla were safe.

And River! I didn't know what to think about River. She had died. I was certain of that. But something had happened, something that had made her glow slightly golden and be… revived. What _was_ River?

Katie tapped me lightly on the shoulder, her voice soft and overly kind, "Anthony, we're here. We're in New York. I turned my head to acknowledge her, taking in Katie's blonde hair the had messily fallen out of _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ hairstyle and hung in little strands all around her face. Her bottom lip was bleeding slightly and her dress was torn, a small reminder of the pain we'd suffered.

"Okay," I responded softly, not wanting to start a conversation. She sighed and crossed her arms, pulling her torn coat closer to her body. I rolled my eyes and turned back to the window. _New York_. Home sweet home. What monsters lay in store here? What killers hid in the shadows? What bloodsuckers waited in the alleys? There was so much I didn't know about my city and so much I needed to find out.

The sun was already starting to rise over the skyscrapers, dousing the city in a faint golden light, making the town of mayhem and madness seem almost quaint. Slowly, I checked my watch for the time. 7:35. We'd been up all night. I yawn escaped my lips as I suddenly realized how tired I really was. Sure, I'd pulled all nighters studying or partying but nothing was ever as action packed and as tiring as what I'd just experienced.

The bus finally rolled to a complete stop at the edge of 4th Avenue. Teeming with excitement, the peppy High Schoolers got off first, followed by the exhausted businessman and weary travelers. Katie and I stood to greet River just as the last person walked out of the bus doors. We walked out in silence, all too tired to speak, to confused to ask and to depressed to care. Finally Katie got up the courage to pipe out, "So… know what?"

"Now?" River responded, "Now we go find Luke and Bella and show whoever took the who's boss."

"No," I said sternly shaking my head, "We've been up all night. You're exhausted, I'm exhausted. We need to rest."

"And where do you suggest we do that?"

"Didn't I tell you? I grew up in New York. Meaning that your "Old Friends" live her as well." River's eyes widened- with either fear, longing or excitement, maybe a little bit of all three. "Come on, let's go say hi to my parents."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

The subway was colder then I remembered. It had only been a few months since I had last ridden in the long metal cars, yet it felt like decades. I wondered if riding the subway without the events of the past few days would have made it seem regular. The last 36 hours had aged me, every second turned into years, hours became centuries. The world's axes had decided to turn faster than usual- the abnormal turning me into a wrinkled old man.

"Where is your apartment?" River asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"A few more blocks," I said, not really wanting to talk. River didn't seem to care, too engulfed in her worries about seeing my parents. Something had went down the last time she'd seen them. Something life changing. Something that had caused them to stop talking to each other for nearly twenty-six years.

Who was River? Who were my parents? Were they like her? Did they glow gold and never die? Did they fight Shells and Yeras and the other things that lurked in the dark? A memory boiled in my mind, one in which couldn't have been more than seven years old. My father always told me to be tough, to stand up to bullies and do what's right. One night, after getting punched in the face by one of my childhood bullies, Tom Darllen, he had taken me down to a gym a few blocks away from my house. We were there for hours, perfecting punches and roundhouse kicks.

I could never forget what he had murmured under his breathe after my hands had grown tired and I begged to go home. _You're a natural,_ he'd said into my ear, _And that's because you take after your father. Wait until you try a sword_. He had chuckled slightly under his breath and rubbed my hair, instantly dismissing the idea. I remember thinking; was my father a ninja? A knight? A prince? Why would he use a sword? Later that night I had asked my mom what he had meant, hoping to get some answers. All I got was a forced laugh and my mom leaving the room to have an argument with my father.

But now I wondered, what _had_ my father meant? Was he in some secret society where people sword fighted and fought monsters? All my life I had expected that I wouldn't know what happened with my parents. And I hadn't cared, just assuming that they were something boring, unimportant. But know I knew they weren't. They were something more. And with luck, I could finally figure out what.

The subway finally came to it's stop, opening it's doors to a familiar setting. The three of us stood up, all with sober yet nervous expressions fastened on our faces. River was the worst. It was clear she hadn't seen my parents in many years. And they had been very close. Almost like family. So what had happened? Why did River leave them? Or had my parents left River? That seemed more likely. It explained why my parents had gone into hiding and River continued... mingling. Or had River rebelled in some way? Not having answers was quite annoying.

We walked out of the subway station, feeling the brisk morning on our cheeks. "It isn't far," I told the other two. Katie nodded and bit her lip, her nervousness growing by the second. I bumped into her slightly and gave her a friendly arm squeeze. In return she permitted a small smile to pass through her lips and clung onto my arm. I smirked and made a sharp right, dragging her along with me. River walked a few passes behind us, wearing an expression that could only be described as butterflies-in-your-stomach.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" She said. I bit my lip, fighting a laugh. It seemed so insane. River, who fought monsters with a mystery man and could come back from the dead was afraid of my parents. My mom who made Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches every Tuesday and my dad who wanted to get a dog even though my mom said no and proceeded to sneak a dog into our apartment.

I rounded the door into my apartment and trotted up my stairs. At this point I wasn't even thinking. I let my feet take control while my brain nervously searched for an answer to what will happen next.

Before I knew it I was standing in front the familiar red door with the numbers 223 painted in flimsy gold. Cautiously I raised my hand, curling my fingers into a firm fist and gave the door a steady knock.

The three of us stood in silence for a few seconds before I heard the usual jingle of the rusty brass lock. The door opened slowly and I could hear a familiar yawn on the other end.

"Who is it?" She said sleepily, opening the door wide.

I gave her a tiny half smile, "Hi Mom."

"Anthony?" She asked, sounding worried. But her expression soon turned to astonishment as she glanced at my… friends.

"Yeah," I responded, "I brought some friends."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

"Anthony?" My mother repeated, sounding pleased. "Oh thank goodness," she pulled me into a hug, "the school called and I was just so worried-"

She stopped dead. I pulled out of her tightening grip, scared yet excited on how she would react to River. I imagined her screaming in rage, or laughing at old times. Whatever my mother had keepen hidden in her past would be revealed tonight. And I couldn't wait.

But, instead of shouting or crying or hugging or fighting, my mother just stared. It was almost as if she couldn't believe her own eyes. Finally, after a long stretch of time River spoke up.

"Hello Amy."

That seemed to shock my mom out of her trance, "Melody?" Melody? Who was Meldy?

"Yes. It's me." A single tear rolled down her lightly freckled cheek. There was something new in her eyes, some emotions that seemed very… non-Riverish. There was love and sadness but most of all _longing_.

My mother ran to River and cupped her face in her hands. "Oh my god, oh my- I thought I'd never see you again!" She was full on crying now, something I'd almost never seem my mother do.

"So did I-"

"But the Doctor! He… he said we couldn't…"

"I know… but some how-"

"Isn't this dangerous? Could we create another," she glanced at me and Katie, "you know-"

"I'm not sure."

"I still can't believe you're here." She paused, "and with my son!" My mom offered River a small smile.

"Ah. Yes." River smirked, "Going on replacing me already?" My mom gave a weak smile in return. Suddenly River's eyes lit up, "How's Rory?"

"Oh, god, Rory! Here, everyone step inside," She wiped the tears from her eyes and gestured us to walk into the tiny apartment. The three of us followed her, Katie and I sharing a look of confusion mixed with wonder.

"Rory!" My mother called as she shut the door, "I have a surprise for you."

The voice of my tired father wafted in from his bedroom a few doors away. "Ehhh, it's only six o'clock _and_ it's my off day. Who is it?"

My mom glanced at me and River. "It's your family. They've come home." _They've_? Was River related to my parents some how? It seemed likely. Maybe a cousin or a little sister. My parents never talked about their families but from what I gathered they were both only childs. But they never actually _told_ me. So who was to say that River wasn't family.

My dad opened the door ever so sleepily. "Anthony," he smirked, rubbing his face with his hand, "What trouble did you get into this time?"

"Um…," I pointed toward River. My dad looked up.

It looked like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on him. His skin paled and he no longer seemed tired. Looking closer I saw that the hairs on his arm were standing straight up. Now, my father may look wimpy but he is not someone who is easily scared. Even when talk of Hitler aroused he would say that given the chance he could be able to punch him in the face. So what made him so afraid of River?

"River."

"Rory."

They pair just stared at eachother for a few long seconds. I bit my lip, not sure what was going to happen. Finally my dad cracked a small smile which turned into a boisterous laugh. "I knew it! I knew you'd come back! I knew you weren't done! I knew you'd come for Anthony. I knew it." Come for me? What did that mean? Was he referring to River simply meeting me or to… something else.

"You look the same." My dad laughed.

"You don't," River responded, letting herself laugh, "Looks like the Ponds got old! I never thought I'd live to see the day."

"Well, I'm still not old enough to be your mother," My mom laughed. What did that mean?

"You'll be there soon enough."

"How is he? Is he doing okay?" My dad asked suddenly.

"I… haven't seen him since Manhattan. Last I heard he was rooming with Jenny and Strax and Lady Vastra," She rolled her eyes, "You know him. He's in mourning."

"How long has it been? For you, I mean." My mom asked.

"Two years. It's only been two years-"

"Okay," I interrupted, suddenly fed up with just guessing when the answers were right in front of me. "I'm sorry but _what_ is going on? How do you guys know each other? Who's _him_? And-"

"Anthony," My mother whispered, "I think it's about we told you who we were. Before 1938."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

"This is going to sound crazy." My dad said as he sat me down on the dusty leather couch that I had grown up on. "But you're just going to have to go with it." He glanced at Katie, "You might not believe us but, well, if you want the truth, this is it."

"Don't worry," Katie reassured him, "We've experienced enough crazy in the past twenty-four hours to believe just about anything."

My father nodded solemnly and turned to my mother, "Amelia… why don't you, um, explain."

My mother rolled her eyes and sat down on our blue coffee table. "Okay," she eyed us, "just bear with me."

Katie and I nodded, both of us tired of waiting.

"Alright," she took a deep breathe, "I, Amelia Jessica Pond, was born in Scotland in the year 1989."

Katie laughed and crinkled her brow, "Uh… what?"

My mom swallowed, "I know it's hard to believe but just-"

"Mom," I interjected, "Just tell us the story."

"Oh… Okay. So when I was young I moved to Leadworth- it's a town in England- to live with my Aunt. You see my parents… they'd been trapped. In a crack in time in space. It caused everyone, including me, to forget who they were. When I was six years old the crack swallowed my Aunt. So I was living all alone in a big house and I didn't know what to do so I, um, prayed to Santa Claus."

River stifled a laugh.

"But the funny thing was- well when I prayed someone showed up in my yard. He had crashed landed- and well- he seemed quite mad. But since I was so young I didn't really know so I fed him and we talked and when it was all done he said he needed to get back to his ship- it was a giant blue box- to fix it. He said his name was the Doctor and that he would be back in five minutes.

"The problem was he didn't show up in five minutes. Or five days. Or five years. Everyone thought I was crazy. But I was sort of obsessed with him. Most people thought he was like a sort of imaginary friend. Including Rory." She glanced at my, "And my friend, Mels." She tossed a look to River. Mels? That sounded familiar- Oh right! My mom had called River Melody. Were they the same person? Did River go to school with my mom? Is that how they knew each other?

"But then, twelve years after that night in 1996, the Doctor returned." The Doctor. The man River had killed the Yera with.

"But why would the Doctor desert you for twelve years?" Katie piped up.

"He didn't mean to. Um, actually he thought it was only five minutes later. He was quite surprised to find me all grown up."

"But how is that possible?" Katie responded.

"Well, you see, the blue box he was traveling around in wasn't an ordinary blue box. It was a TARDIS."

"What's a TARDIS?" I asked.

"It's a machine that can travel anywhere in time and space."

"So what happened next," Katie asked, seemingly losing herself in the story.

"Well, we helped him save the world and he offered me a job as his traveling companion. I said yes. And he said he needed a bit of time but he'd back the next day." She paused, "He returned two years later on the night of my wedding."

"So did you go with him?" I asked.

"Yes, of course, it was a time machine. I could be with him for as long as I wanted and when I returned it would still be the night of my wedding. We met lots of people along the way, including River. She's the Doctor's wife." I looked up, astounded. So River was a Time traveler too? It made some sense, I guess.

"And soon we brought Rory along with us. And the two of us got married and, well, I got pregnant."

My eyes widened. _WHAT!?_ I had a sibling? Who? Boy or girl? What was their name? Where they still alive?

"Now, children, you must understand that the Doctor was not human. He was a species known as the Timelords. The Timelords never got old and when they died they gained a new face. And when Rory and I… um… _conceived_ it was inside something called the Time Vortex. And because of that, our child was born a Timelord. Or, rather, I Timelady. But she was stolen from me. The people who stole her engineered her into a psychopath, bent on killing the Doctor. So she went and found us, knowing that we would eventually meet the Doctor. She became our childhood friend, Mels." Mels. So Mels wasn't River.

"She tried to kill us, but in doing so, she died and regenerated. That's when she gains a new face. But the face she gained was one of someone we already knew. It was River."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

My brow crinkled and my brain stopped working.I seemed to have lost the ability to process my thoughts. Amy- my mother… My mother- mother of Melody… Melody- became Mels… Mels- died and became River… River is my _sister_. _River was my sister. River was my sister! RIVER WAS MY SISTER!_

I whipped my head around to stare newly acquainted sibling. Her bright eyes and curly hair were no where near my own features. But before I could ask any questions about that, another popped into my mind.

"Is regeneration the thing you did earlier? With the Yera?"

Rory glared at River, "You regenerated? I thought you were out of regeneration energy? And why do you still look the same?"

River looked uncomfortable, "It was the Doctor. You know how he is. He knew I didn't have any regeneration energy, so he gave me some of his own. It wouldn't reverse the dead. It couldn't. And therefore I wouldn't change my face."

"Is nobody going to mention the fact that River is Anthony's sister?" Amy yelled suddenly, sounding distressed. "I kind of, you know, thought that that would be kind of a big deal."

I stroked her arm, lovingly. "It's okay, Mom, don't worry. I'm freaking out on the inside." She let out a small smile.

"Um…" Katie interjected, "So how did you end up in 1938?"

My mother tossed her a look but didn't say anything. My father instead responded. "An Angel."

"An Angel?!" I cried, "Angels are real? Like… like God and stuff?"

"No," my mother responded, "It was a weeping angels. Creatures that look like stone angel statues. They feed of time energy. So what they do is they give you a slow death that gives them lots of time energy. The send you back in time so you die before you were even born."

"Is that what happened to you?" Katie asked, "Did you get sent back in time?" My mother nodded.

"But didn't the Doctor have a time machine? Why couldn't he just come back and save you?"

"Doing that would create a time paradox. Very unstable," River responded, "last time we did that… well we created a sort of alternate universe. Ish."

"There weren't any stars," Amy commented duly.

"Anyway," River said, "the point is, going back in time to save our parents would have been bad. Very bad.

"Then why are you here?" I asked, "River, shouldn't your presence create some sort of paradox?"

"Well, I wasn't going to mention it, but, well, I was on the lost planet of Plano and a gypsy gave me this as a token of his gratitude for saving half the planet from a murderous Kronver." She held up a small charm strung on a silver chain around her neck. "It had the ability to avoid paradoxes. But it could only be used once. I wanted to give it to the Doctor but my vortex manipulator sent me here instead. To avoid turning this world to dust I was forced to turn on my anti-paradox. If I gave it to the Doctor it would have already been used and it would therefore be useless.

My mother nodded, "I just have one more question." She turned to look at me and Katie, "What have you two been up to?"


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

"Oh god, sweetie, I'm so sorry," My mom said as she pulled me into a tight embrace. I had spent the last fifteen minutes telling her the events of the last twenty-four hours and she didn't seem to be taking it to well.

"Mom, it's okay." I tugged out of her hug, "We're all okay."

"Oh honey! It's _not_ okay. I never wanted this life for you. Ever." She wiped a single tear from her eyes.

For a second I thought about telling her that I liked going on adventures, that I liked this "life." But I couldn't. It wasn't true. As much as enjoyed the thrill of saving people and the adrenaline of a good problem I hated the loss of life, hated having to defeat something. It had not been fun for me to kill those Yeras or the shells. It had most definitely not been enjoyable to watch Bella be abducted. And I had been put through hell seeing Luke, one of my closest friends, be taken.

Nothing could outweigh that. I could not put people- ones I loved or ones I'd just met- in danger. I wasn't a hero. I knew, I _knew_ , that in the future, I wouldn't go looking for adventure. I wouldn't be like River. I couldn't. I wanted a normal life. I wanted to finish college. I wanted to have a job, a family. I was not courageous. I was not adventuress. One thing I guaranteed myself was that I would not get spent up in the heat of the moment. I would _not_ go off adventuring with River. I might get excited and feel that it was worth it and important but I _knew_ I would end up regretting my choice. I was not going to become like my sister.

But I wasn't going to stop here. I was too deep in to give up now. I would go with River and Katie to wherever the Yera's and Shell's were hiding Bella and Luke and then I was done. Forever.

"And you too Katie!" My mom gasped, pulling the surprised girl into a Grandma-worthy squeeze. "I'm so, so sorry."

"You don't have to apologize, Mrs. Williams," Katie laughed, "Really, this…" she paused, " _Experience_ has been spectacular." Wonderful. I could never imagine anything like it."

"So what's the plan?" My dad interrupted.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

My dad raised an eyebrow, "What's the plan?"

"Um… well… we don't really have one. Other than, you know, going to wherever the Shells and the Yeras are holding Bella and Luke. And the we'll, like, um take them back. Possibly destroy whoever kidnapped them. You know."

"And, Anthony, where exactly are Bella and Luke being held?" My dad said, giving a fatherly sigh.

"Well, River said they were somewhere in New York," I said pointing a finger at my older sister. A sister who had been a stranger just yesterday.

"River, do you have a more specific location?" My mother inquired.

River scratched her big ball of curly hair, "Well, I don't know the exact location…"

I sighed, "Great."

She wrinkled her her nose, "You _are_ an annoying little brother."

"And you don't know where my friends are." I shot back.

"No," she responded, a smile growing on her lips, "But I have a friend who does."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

"Honey, maybe I should come with you."

"Mom," I said, placing my hand on her shoulder, "I really don't think that's the best idea." I looked her over, trying to decide how to be gentle, "I mean, you've spent the twenty-six years writing about the adventure instead of actually, you know, doing it. And all I'm saying is that you might be a little rusty."

"For shame!" She responded with pretend outrage. "I'll have you know I've been part of the 'adventure' since I was seven years old!"

"Well did you defeat a shell and two Yera's when you were seven?" I boasted, happy to see that she hadn't been offended by my cruel words.

"Alright you two," I heard River call from down the hallway. "Hurry up. We need to be at my friend's by ten." She walked into the living room, "Are you all rested up?"

I nodded. I had spent the entire day sleeping in my old bedroom. After staying up all of last night I really needed some sleep. About twenty minutes ago River had woken me up telling me it was time to meet her friend.

At first I hadn't even wanted to rest. I needed to get Luke and Bella. But after about an hour of forcing me to get into a bed and thirty seconds of lying there, I fell asleep.

"So who exactly is this friend of yours?" My mom asked.

"His name is Kaeson. He runs a nightclub."

"A nightclub?!"

"Stop being such a mom." I laughed.

"I am a mom!"

"Don't worry, Mrs. Williams. I'll take care of them." I turned to see Katie standing in the doorway, looking rested and full. Her arms were crossed in a bossy manner but her smile was light and airy.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her.

"I'm… better." She sighed cocking her head to the left.

"Are you ready to go?"

She shrugged, "Ready as I'll ever be."

"River?" I asked.

"Come on, little brother. It's now or never." She smirked and turned to our mother, pulling her into a tight hug. "See you around, Mum."

"Yeah," I said giving her a kiss on the cheek, "Tell Dad we love him when he gets back from work."

"Alright, but just be home by supper!" She joked.

Suddenly, I turned serious, "I'll be back, Mom. I swear it." She smiled sadly in return, "Mom, I promise. I'm coming back _alive_."

"This is never what I wanted for you," She mumbled, stroking my cheek. "Your biggest problem was supposed to be mid-terms and girlfriends not staying alive and retrieving your kidnapped friends."

"Mom…"

"I just don't want you to get hurt." I opened my mouth to respond but she shook her head and dismissed me before I could. "All yours, River. All yours."

"Alright, kids." She smirked, ushering Katie and I toward the door, "Let's go meet Kaeson."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kaeson's nightclub was not my scene. Older men had young girls on there laps. A bassist played a smooth tune as three woman song a song about love. There was a calm yet scandalous air to the whole thing. Smoke clouded the air in puffs, a effect of all the smokers in the room.

I hated it. And I could see Katie did too.

"Welcome to _le danse et l'amour_!" An optimistic waitress said as she rounded a corner. "Do you want a cocktail?"

River smiled "Yes _plea_ -"

"No thanks." I cut in. "We're here to see the owner of this place. Kaeson?"

"Oh, you mean Mr. Stralls?" She asked, her ever present smile wiped off her face. "You have an appointment or something?"

"No, we're just old friends." I responded.

The waitress sighed. "Alright, come with me." She led the three of us to a room in the back. "Mr. Stalls!" She hollered. "Got some friends here to see you!"

"Bring them in, bring them in." A voice with a french accent called.

The waitress gave us a strange look. "Good luck."

I glanced at Katie. She shrugged and pushed the door open.

"Ah River! _Quelle surprise_!" The french voice called again. As I walked in farther I saw the body it was attached to. A man in his mid thirties with dark red hair, fiery freckles and a blue, tailored suit.

"Kaeson, _content de te voir._ " River responded solemnly.

" _Donc, ce qui vous amene a mon humble discotheque_?" Kaeso asked. At least I think he asked. I don't speak French.

" _J'ai besoin de ton aide_."

" _Tout d'abord, qui sont les enfants_."

" _Mon petit frere et son ami_." At this point I was really wishing I had decided to take French instead of Latin.

" _Le garcon du Williams? Ah, je vois. Comment le medecin fait a propos de leur mort, de toute facon_." I was starting to get the feeling they were talking about me.

" _Pas bien. Il est hors en Angleterre victorienne devenir un ermite_."

" _Honte. Je l'aimais, il etait un bon gars. Un peu enfantin, mais il avait une bonne ame._ "

River nodded, agreeing with whatever Kaeson had just said. " _Alors, comment avez-vous ete. Apres, vous savez, Jim le poisson. Desole vous vous etes exile, par la maniere_."

" _Ne vous inquietez pas, mon cher._ " Kaeson said with a smile. " _Je vais bien. Eh bien, sauf pour le fait qu'il est extremement difficile de trouver un bon petit ami en 1964, si vous savez ce que je veux dire_."

" _Oh je sais! Vous savez que je passe une semaine a-_ "

"Excuse me?" I piped up, my tone angry. They both stared at me. "Would you please switch to English so the rest of us can understand?" It was harsh, I admit, but I was getting fed up.

" _J'aime ton frere. Il est sauvage et forte mais toujours calme et recueillie. Ce genre de me rappelle de vous. Voila une bonne chose, vous savez_." Kaeson responded, sending a wink in River and my's direction. "Anyway, kid, we were just catching up. Now What do you need help with. And before you ask, just know that I keep tabs on anything extraterrestrial or supernatural happening in this city."

"We're looking for the Shells and the Yeras." I informed him, "They took our friends."

I watched as Kaeson's previously smiling face fell into a look of shock and fear.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

"What?" I asked, "What is it?"

"I'm sorry, I don't think I can help you." Keason responded angrily.

"Kaeson, _please_." River said angrily.

"I would like you to leave now." Keason told her, getting out of his chair and directing us toward the door.

"Kaeson!" Kate cried, her tone raging. "You're out last hope."

"Then I'm afraid you are all doomed. Now get out of my nightclub."

"Kaeson, god damnit, you will tell us everything you know right now. You owe me and my husband more than just your life." River was practically seething with anger.

"Look ladies, I'd love to help, but I can't. Ephraim would have my head if I did."

"Ephraim?" Katie asked, "Who's Ephraim."

Kaeson's expression fell. "I shouldn't have said that. I should _not_ have said that."

"Ephraim's here?" River muttered, her once angry expression poisoned by fear. "No, but that's… that's _impossible_. Ephraim is dead. I killed him."

"Haha, you wish." Kaeson plopped back down in his leather thrown. "Apparently you can't just stab a god to death."

"I didn't!" River said angrily, "You were there. The knife I used to kill him was made of Arfromian metals. Bathed in the blood of one hundred Vestal Verians! It took me weeks to retrieve it. The Horigan said it was sure to work. That it was the only thing that could kill him."

"Well, as you may have realized, the Horigan is a crazy old hermit whose methods are outdated and dumb. The knife hurt Ephraim, yes, but not kill. He's still alive. And in New York. And very, very immortal."

"So what do we do?" I spoke up.

"Haha," Kaeson started laughing, though I felt it was forced. "You don't do anything. Your friends are gone. Your world is gone. Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to call the keepers of the Shadow Proclamation and ask to have my exile location changed. I mean, I knew Ephraim was vacationing here, but if he's starting to take people well than, heh heh, good luck with that."

"Wait! You can't just leave!" Katie called. "You need to help us! At _least_ tell us where he is!"

"Oh, what's the point?" Kaeson started piling some of his possessions into a large suitcase he had pulled from a broom closet. "You'll die anyway."

"So tell us!" She cried, "It won't make a difference."

"Fine. I. Will. Tell. You." He smiled, "For a price!"

I gave him an angry sneer, "What do you _want_?"

"River darling, you do remember how much I liked those Telvari Tenros, right?" Kaeson said, "Get me a few in my new recollection."

"You'll tell us the truth over a Velish pleasure package?" River asked.

"Well where else am I going to get it?" He cracked a smile. "Ephraim, he's been holding out on in the back of an old warehouse on 32nd street."

"Thank you," I said happily, already heading toward the door, "Thank you!"

"Whatever. River, I'll be expecting my Telvari Tenros soon." He sighed and stuffed a floppy hat, old book and a small axe into the suitcase. "Good luck you three. You'll need it.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

The warehouse door slid open with a was big, bulky and loud. Too loud. As soon as the three of us walked in the lights flickered on the enormous room.

"Who did that?" Katie whispered urgently. River rolled her eyes.

"Me!" A giggly voice said. Suddenly a small woman in a pastel pink blazer and pencil skirt appeared. She had a small clip board and a penic behind her ear.

"Who are you?" I called, looking at the woman.

"I'm Sherrie," She giggled. "Do you have an appointment with Mr. Ephraim?"

I looked around the warehouse. There was nothing here. "Look lady," River said, her tone impatient, "We need to talk to Ephraim. Now."

Sherrie smiled and batted her eyelashes. "Well than it's a good thing that we take walk ins!" She laughed and snapped her fingers. The whole room transformed. Chandeliers appeared on the ceiling and designs carved their way onto the walls. A golden hue illuminated the now marble floor and turquoise pieces popped out of every corner. The warehouse had turned into a ballroom. And of course, no ballroom was complete without the guests.

Mixtures of monsters and people wined and dined throughout the room. They wore fancy dress and esquites suits, all out of the what seemed to be the Medieval era. On the sidelines people stood chained to the walls in what looked like peasants clothes. And of course, at the center of attention, wearing a kings crown, was the man who must've been Ephraim.

He was wicked pretty with sharp features and platinum locks. He looked like something out of a fairy tale. His blue and gold outfit suited him perfectly and his smile was whiter than the moon.

Sherrie cleared her throat and walked over to Ephraim, "Yoo-hoo! Ephraim? Mr. Ephraim, sir?" Sherrie asked, timidly trying to get his attention. Finally Ephraim rolled his eyes, turned away from his guests and toward Sherrie.

"What is it, Sherrie?" He asked, sounding annoyed.

"Guests," She peeped out. "You have guests." She gestured toward us.

Ephraim's eyes widened. "River, dear! You decided to join us? How sweet!" He gave the three of us a once over. "Oh, but the outfits! 60's is so last season." He waved his hand over the three of us. Instantly our regular clothes turned into ballroom attire. I wore a navy blue shirt with golden string embroidered in for emphasis. River was suited in a midnight blue gown, a hoop skirt jutting out from her waist. Small dots that looked like diamonds were scattered about and, in all honesty, she looked absolutely stunning. Katie looked beautiful too. Her blond hair was curled and up in a beautiful bun. She looked like Cinderella in a baby blue dress with white ruffles.

"I really do like the blue and gold together." Ephraim smiled, "I think it clashes well." His face grew serious. "Now let's get to the matter at hand. River, hon, the last time I saw you you stabbed me to death. Whatever could you want now?"


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

River let out a big laugh, "Oh,sweetie, that was such a big misunderstanding?" She laughed louder. None of the guests seemed to notice, all of them too busy dancing. Not even the slaves chained to the sidelines payed attention to the woman laughing crazily.

"Oh, Miss Melody, cover it up all you like, I know the truth." Ephraim let out a large sigh, "But, for tonight, I'm willing to overlook it. Because, tonight, is my party!"

Katie and I shared an awkward look.

"Well, technically, every night is my party." He laughed, hauntingly, "But as prisons go, this one of the nicer ones."

"Prisons?" Katie asked. River shot her a look somewhere in between terror and annoyance.

"Yes, my own little creation. I rather like it. The especially bad ones get tied to the rail. Doomed to eternally watch the people who shall never stop dancing."

"And thanks to your good friend Kaeson, your right where I want you." Ephraim smiled proudly.

"What?" I gaped. Again, River gave me her agitated look.

"Oh, River, you shouldn't be surprised." Ephraim smiled. "You know Kaeson. He would much less help you over me. I can kill him with a snap of my fingers. Him and everything he's created. This was to be expected."

"I'm sorry." Katie interrupted, "But how is this place a prison?"

"Oh, my sweet summer child." Ephraim chuckled boisterously. "You clearly have never traveled to the Sentiol Galaxy."

"I'm afraid not." Katie responded cooly.

"Not to worry dear, not to worry. It's all simple technology. The isofram traps them in an undying place of pleasantness. Well, at least they look pleasant. Their minds on the hand, are not so pleasant."

"But… why?" She asked.

"Oh, darling, you've got me monologuing. But none the matter, I'll tell you anyway." He leaned into her, so much so that she had to lean backwards. She tried to escape, but he grabbed her dress collar. "It feeds me." he whispered, emphasizing every word. He leaned back up, his effervescent smile, prominent once again. "But you don't have to worry about not knowing the logistics. Because, very soon, they will be oh so familiar."


End file.
